Trunk-strap.



M. L. NIX.

TRUNK STRAP. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 1911.

1,031,81 3., r rammed July 9, 1912;

2 SHEETSSHEBT 1.

IVITNESSES: LVVENTOR.

WWW

cpLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.,WASHINGTON. D c.

M. L. NIX.

, TRUNK STRAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 1911.

1,031,813. Patented July 9, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES- 1:159. INVENTOR. .UQM 4 F l v WQW.

COLUMBIA PLANOOMPH ,CO WASHXNOTONI D. G

MANNING I]. NIX, OF OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA.

TRUNK-STRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Application filed August 7, 1911.

Patented July 9, 1912! Serial No. 642,765.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MANNING L. NIX, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Oklahoma city, in the county of Oklahoma and State of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Trunk-Strap, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification, reference being had to the annexed drawings.

For binding and sealing a trunk or box, a metal strap is preferable to one of any other material on account of its greater strength and durability. An objection to a metal strap, however, is that it cannot be drawn through an ordinary buckle and be locked with a buckle-tongue like a leather or other flexible strap.

An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide means for securing a metal strap after the same has been drawn around a trunk or box.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the ensuing description.

Referring to the drawings :Figure 1 is a plan view of a small trunk or box with the improved strap in use thereon. Fig. 2 is an elevation view, mostly in section, taken in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 1, showing the strap drawn around the trunk or box and ready to be stretched and locked. Fig. 3 is an elevation view in the same direction as Fig. 2, showing the strap stretched and locked in position.

Referring to the several figures in all of which like characters of reference designate like parts, the numeral 4 designates a trunk or box, and 5 a metal strap which is drawn around the box. In arranging to secure the ends of the strap 5, I have provided an improved buckling and stretching device which comprises two principal parts or members 6 and 7. The front end 8 of the front member 6 is slotted as at 9, so that the strap 5 may slide freely through it; and the rear end 10- of the rear member 7 is likewise slotted as at 11, so that the strap may slide freely through it; the under lapped end of the strap. being attached permanently to said rear end of the member 7 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These members 6 and 7 are of strong flat metal, the rear one being shouldered centrally of its length, as at 12, so as to brace pivotally between and against lugs 13 on the pivot end 14 of the other member 6.

In arranging the strap 5 with relation to the members 6 and 7, the under lapped end of said strap is permanently attached to the rear end of the rear member 7 as above stated; said strap passing thence forward and through the slot 9 at the front end of the front member 6; thence entirely around the box 4 and back to the rear end of the rear member 7; thence through the slot 11 in. the rear end of said rear member 7 and thence forward and up through an opening 15 in the central portion of the front member 6. A housing or keeper 16 is riveted to the upper surface of the front member 6 just in front of the opening 15, and the strap 5 passes through said keeper as it emerges from said opening. A set screw 17 is screwthreaded down through the upper wall 18'of the keeper 16, the lower end of this setscrew being adapted to press a portion of the metal strap 5 into a small depression 19 in the face of the member 6. By this arrangement of parts, the strap 5, after it has been passed around the box 4, has its .over lapped or free end releasably clamped to the front member 6 so as to become taut as said member and its mating member 7 are swung down toward the box to locked position. The upper end of this set screw 17 is provided with a handwheel 20 for revolving it, and this handwheel is provided around its outer edge with depending teeth 21.

A locking dog 22 is pivoted to the top of the keeper 16 by a rivet 23, the free end of the dog having an ear 24 to be swung into engagement with the teeth 21 of the handwheel 20 to lock the setscrew 17.

Near its point of pivotal or bracing engagement with the rear member 7, the front member 6 is provided with a staple 25, which, when the two members are folded down into the locked position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, passes up through a slot 26 in the rear member 7, this staple 25 being adapted to receive a paddock 27 to hold the parts in locked position. When the members 6 and 7 are in locked position an ear 28 on the front or free end of the rear member 7 holds the dog 22. in locked engagement with the teeth 21 of the handwheel, thus holding the setscrew 17 in engagement with the strap 5 under the keeper 16.

In applying the strap 5, the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 2, the strap being locked in the keeper 16 as just described. The engaging or pivoting ends of the members 6 and 7 are then forced down against the box 4, thus causing the rear end of the rear member 7 to draw the under lapped end of the strap 5 rearward, while the front member 6 draws the opposite or over lapped -end of the strap forward. This operation of parts draws the strap 5 tightly around the box, after which the padlock 27 is attached to the staple as aforesaid and the ear 28 holds'the dog 22 in locked engagement with the setscrew 17.

The foregoing being a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device of the class described, a flexible strap adapted to be drawn around a box and have its ends lapped, a brace member having one of its ends permanently attached to the under lapped end of the strap and slidably embracing the opposite ,or over lapped portion of said strap, a second brace member having one of its ends 7- slidably engaging the under lapped portion of the strap and adapted to engage the over lapped free end of said strap, the opposite ends of the brace members being adapted to pivot together and being adapted to be forced downward toward the box to draw the strap taut, and means whereby said brace members when thus folded lock the engagement of the free end of the strap with said second member.

the front end of the front member slidably embracing the under lapped portion of the strap, clamping mechanism carried by the front member to-engage the over lapped end of the strap, and a dog on the front member to lock the clamping mechanism, the forward free end of the rear member being adapted to swing into the path of movement of the dog as the brace members are swung to locking position against the box.

3. In a device of the class described, a strap adapted to be drawn around a box, a rear brace member, a front brace member having one of its ends adapted to pivot to a central portion of said rear member, the rear end of the rear member being attached to the under lapped end of the strap, and embracing the over lapped portion'of said strap slidably, the front end of the front member slidably embracing the under lapped portion of the strap, the front member having an opening through which the over lapped end of the strap loosely passes, a housing or keeper mounted on the front end of thefront member, the strap passing through said housing, a setscrew in the lions ing to clamp the strap against said front member, a dog pivoted to the front member to hold the setscrew in clamping engagement with the strap, a slot in the forward free portion of the rear member, a staple on the front member to pass through said opening of the rear member, the front or free end of the rear member being adapted to swing into the path of movement of said dog to hold the latter in locking engagement with the setscrew when the members are swung down to locking engagement against the box.

Witness my hand this third (3) day of August, nineteen hundred and eleven (1911).

MANNING L. NIX. Witnesses:

C. I. SMITH, FRANK P.'SHE1 ARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the 'Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

